Teddington run in eight second-half tries to see off a spirited but out-classed Alton.

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Out-paced, out-thought and out-muscled but stubborn as a pack of mules, Alton were very much second-best to league-leaders Teddington, who extended their lead at the top of London 3 with a thumping win at Bushy Park.

The opening forty minutes were competitive, scrappy and frenetically entertaining but Teddington ironed out the glitches in the second half to run in eight unanswered tries and romp away with it. They were simply terrific.

While Teddington's pace, support-play and off-loading were in a different league to their opponents, they weren't just a rugby version of the Harlem Globetrotters.

They had to graft hard, using their big, brutish ball-carriers to hammer away at Alton's defence and it was only in the second half that they managed to up the tempo and put the visitors away.

The off-loading was sublime; the Teddington players' ability to get the pass away in the tackle was often a joy to behold. They looked comfortable on the ball and the man in possession always seem to have an abundance of options at his disposal.

Alton missed too many first-up tackles and ran down too many blind alleys but they should feel no shame at this result nor their performance, especially in a fairly even first half in which they trailed the league-leaders by just five points as the half-time interval approached.

Skipper Jimmy Gay and second-in-command Gareth Richards put in immense performances; Richards in particular was the one player who seemed capable of unlocking the Teddington rearguard whenever he had the ball and in defence he worked like a Trojan. Gay was everywhere.

Kudos too to the players who were making their first league starts: Jack McEvoy at scrum-half and Tom Gerlach at open-side flank got stuck in with gusto and were determination personified.

But Alton came into this game with a side that painfully lacked experience of rugby at this level. They were shorn of half-a-dozen regulars and while every player in the 18-man squad worked his socks off, it was always going to be a gargantuan task to live with a side that was fitter, bigger, faster and physically stronger - not to mention unbeaten for nearly two years.

Alton can also take some tangible positives from this game. The scrum held firm, Gerlach won a handful of Teddington line-outs and they nicked a fair few turnovers, too. Another positive is that they won't have to play Teddington again this season.  

It took the home side just two minutes to open their account, flanker Tom Doran touching down after a largely unimpeded 20-metre driving maul.

But far from being a procession of home tries, Alton played their way back into it. Although Stuart Everton's close-range try extended the home lead it was immediate answered by Richards' break and splendid off-load from the tackle, which worked Gay over for a neat try.

But centre Jonathan Dickson rounded off a sweeping Teddington move to give his side a 15-5 interval lead and when giant number 8 Fergus Farrell drove over shortly after half time, the floodgates flew open.

The excellent Doran helped himself two more tries while the backs also got in on the act - right wing Henry Kirchner grabbed a couple, centre Tim Holdsworth and full-back Chris Dickson also crossed but the most deserved score of the game from Teddington's stand-out player, stand-off Paul Manley.

Teddington's day was made all the brighter with the news that their lead at the top of London 3 had increased to 13 points after mid-table Old Wellingtonians had surprisingly held second-placed Camberley. It was less encouraging for Alton, who host Wellingtonians this Saturday (2pm kick-off).

* Contrary to last week's Herald report, three teams, not two, will be relegated from London 3 at the end of the season.


Teddington: C Dickson; Dahl-Nielsen (Sheehan, 41), J Dickson (c), Holdsworth, Kirchner; Manley, White; Scott, Drew, Watson (Riddler); Boyling, Everton (Jones, 43); Ewens, Doran, Farrell.

Tries: Doran (2, 45, 72) Everton (16), J Dickson (32), Farrell (42), C Dickson (49), Kirchner (53, 63), Holdsworth (59), Manley (70);

Conversions: Boyling (2);

Alton: Forsyth; O'Connor (Salmon, 27), Hullock, Richards, Law; Crowther, McEvoy; Fleming, Parratt, Gay (c); Greenhalgh, Osborne (Happel, 56); Sorby, Gerlach, MacDonell (Baker, 43).

Try: Gay (21).

H-T: 15-5.

Referee: Andy Boulanger (London Society).

With thanks to Teddington RFC's Gareth Cross and Giselle Mather for additional info.

Other London 3SW results:

Fordingbridge 7 - 20 Sandown & Shanklin;

Old Alleynians 32 - 8 London South Africa;

Old Wellingtonians 17 - 17 Camberley;

Petersfield 41 - 0 Old Wimbledonians;

Winchester 34 - 22 Ellingham & Ringwood.